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Don't be in a rush to make a call in those circumstances. Take a moment to read the situation and the players' reactions.
It is hard not to duck or bail in games at that level, where pitchers struggle to find the plate and catchers can neither catch nor block errant pitches.

Had a kid in a Minor B game the other day... inside pitch and he jumped back... ball hit the knob squarely and rolled 3 feet in front of home plate... signal fair and watch as F1 picks it up and tags BR... kid was miffed because he did not understand that although he dodged the pitch it is still a batted ball.
Next batter please...

How many of us miss the first "no stop" balk, but get the second one?
The coach will say "He did the same thing on the first pitch and you didn't call a balk!" And I'll say, "Yep Skip, I missed the first one but I nailed the second one!:

As an umpire who takes my "paid hobby" very seriously, I've grown very weary of coaches who enter their 11u and 12u teams in tournaments without bothering to read the Rules Set under which they are playing ... but there's something FAR worse …
Tournament Directors seem often to be no better.
I get that TD's are often doubling as coaches and may take on the role by default because no one else will step up ... but how dare you allow your name to be published as the State TD, and never have read the Rules Book for the "brand" of baseball you're "selling" … for profit?
I call everything from 11u to college, and feel obligated to have read up on the rules of the brand at least the day before the tournament begins. I create "Cheat Sheets" that fit into my folio for quick reference, so that I can quickly enlighten a coach who may be confused… Understandably… Because he's bouncing between brands of baseball each weekend.
So why is it incumbent upon the umpires to know the various rules, but not so for the Tournament Director? Why is it not a "given" that the Tournament Director sends out a text or email to each coach 2 to 3 days prior to the tournament to remind them of the basic rules set and the five or six variations associated with?
One weekend we play GMB which is almost purely based on MLB. The next weekend, we play BPA which is almost purely based on NFHS (high school).
Balk rule is different.
Mound visits are different.
Courtesy Runners are different.
Until 2017, IBB rule was different.
Illegal slide rule is different.
Half swing appeal rule is different.
Aside from these few randomly stated differences, the TD has discretion to add his own Tournament Rules ... which often are made up on the fly ... not in a text or email sent the night before the tourney starts.
Coaches bite our heads off, and all their parents blindly believe the coaches, for accusing us of not knowing the rules. Then we seek support from the TD and he just shrugs. This is BULL$HIT.
Then the TD hears the one-sides story from the coaches (who are lining his pockets) and often won't even hear the umpires' version. As long as the TD Remains ignorant of the rule book, he and the coaches may collude.
And then they wonder why they can't get enough good umpires for their tournaments.
AMAZING

The bolding in your quotation is misleading, as it misses the "subtle" logical connections involved. (The second instance also has "legally alters" when it should say "illegally alters".)
For example, a runner who slides legally AND alters the play of a fielder is guilty of nothing but a good slide. That's what we have in the OP: the slide is legal because contact with the fielder was initiated at the base.
The logic of 8-4-2b is "does not legally slide AND either [causes illegal contact or illegally alters the actions of a fielder]." The triggering event is an illegal slide, as that's what makes the contact or alteration of play illegal. But the illegal slide alone is not sufficient for an FPSR violation.

I agree. Looks like the safe call was referring to the tag itself. It sounds like this is not the most proper mechanic, but the catcher and the runner kept doing what they were supposed to do at that point. They knew there was no tag and the plate was missed.

I would think that if he holds the ball longer it is more effective at slowing down the running game. I saw that this weekend in a men's league game. Pitcher held his stop for varying lengths and it really disrupted the other teams ability to steal.
Called my first dropped ball balk this weekend too. Never saw that happen before. Cost him a run as well.

Jim Evans' balk video: "Failure to step toward 2d base when throwing or faking a throw is a balk. If the pitcher's free foot does not land behind the rubber when throwing or faking to 2d, he has balked." [emphasis added]

At some point during a rundown where the runner is scrambling past a fielder for the base, you're going to be straight-lined. Try to figure out when that will be and when the tag attempt will be made and then try to move so that the straight-line doesn't happen during the tag attempt. It's tough to do, and the timing can change in a hurry.
Also, you can try to read the fielder and the runner after the attempt to determine what happened (does the fielder try another tag attempt or keep chasing the runner? -- he probably missed the tag)
Finally, it's (usually) the runner who erred in getting into the rundown. Give the benefit of the doubt to the defense that a tag was made.

You say you saw the tag. What was there to botch?
There will be plenty of times when a coach and/or fans get on you for a call. Sometimes they do see something you don't see. But in this case, you stated you saw the tag, which means you got it right. Right?

^^^this^^^^
If your partner was where he should be you could have gone to the 2B side of the play and have R2 coming towards you back into 2B. Now if you had a partner like mine today, who basically could have been sitting on a stool behind the plate, then you were where you need to be, in the middle of the rundown. If you have a tag, call it. Fans and coaches see what they want to see, not what actually happens.

He can go back and touch the plate, but it has no effect on the upcoming appeal (unless it convinces the defense not to appeal).
On the OP, when the coach comes out and says something like, "R1 missed the plate." I would say, "you need to make an appeal for me to answer that." That's not instructing -- you don't' tell him F1 gets on the rubber, I put the ball in play (because it was dead), ...
When the other coach complains, just say, 'He asked a question, and I answered it as I am supposed to." Then, get back to the game.

What is the A-Number-1 thing for the umpire to know during a baseball game? The status and whereabouts of the baseball. So, provided that you did it in quiet tone of voice between you and DTHC, then you could easily tell OT3BC (probably OTHC, eh?) that all you did is explain that any appeal has to be Live, and the current status of the ball is Dead.
Now, it's important to know your Rulesets – OBR and NCAA have to be Live ball appeals. Fed, by contrast, can be Dead ball appeals, conducted completely by voice, no actual activity necessary. Granted, coaches (or players) have to be clear and articulate in what they are appealing, but even during a Live ball moment, like on a potential tag-up and score, the DT merely has to ask at the completion of the play, "Umpire, did the runner on third leave early? We think he left early.", and then you the umpire judge/rule accordingly.
I've worked with you before, @Thawk751, and I see no problem with you consulting with your partner regarding Rules particulars. An umpire doesn't want to misapply or misinterpret a Rule, when there is an opportunity to get it right by just having a validation from one's partner and fellow umpire. You fail as a team; why not succeed as a team? I can tell you, if you have an evaluator present, and one of you misapplies a Rule, you're both getting docked. The days of the "I ride alone", autonomous, powermongering umpire should be put out to pasture and left there, guys.
Lastly, as @ALStripes17 points out, one needs to consider the context – this a 10U ballgame. I'm surprised that the kids know how to hold a bat correctly, let alone make an appeal. You know how many times coaches ask about obstruction / interference and use the incorrect, opposite word? Better yet, they declare it, during Live ball play! "That's Interference!", they'll thunder, pointing from their 3BC box at their own R1 rounding 2B!
You just ran into a case of a coach feeling smarmy and full of himself for knowing more than his counterpart, and feeling jipped because he feels you aided his counterpart's cause. I can't help but recall the John Grisham novel and movie The Rainmaker, where law school student Rudy Baylor takes on big insurance company lawyers, and the judge (played by Danny Glover) coaches Rudy through proper proceedings during the trial.
Understand the context.

I know this may irk some who read this, but why is it so wrong, at this level of baseball, to make sure that a coach knows what it is that he wants to do?
These would give me the impression that the umpire is umpiring by the book rather than with the book.
Most of the coaches at this level are as raw as the players and ought to be given many of the same considerations we might give their players. For example, do we balk a pitcher for twitching or having a slight movement of their shoulder when pitching from the set position?
For the uninitiated, the terminology of protest vs. appeal is unimportant. Rather, the intent is the heart of the issue. Had this been at a level where coaches are more well versed in the some of the less common procedures of baseball, less consideration would be warranted.
As @ALStripes17 said, it's 9-10 ball.
My .02. YMMV.

Worn my plate version of these three games now and base version at least 4. I think I need to pull out a thesaurus to make sure I cover all the superlative adjectives I'd like to use. Game changers! Amazing fit and feel and look. I'm a huge fan now. Really nice pants for hot weather. Probably will go to these for all conditions if they hold up. I'd still like to take a look at the new Smitty Poly-wools in person before I buy more of these golf pants but so far I think these are definitely worth the money.

Well...
9-1-a-6) The pitcher must step directly and gain ground toward a base in an attempt to pick off a runner
9-1-b-3) When the pitcher starts the delivery from the set position and the entire free foot or any part of the stride leg breaks the plane of the back edge of the pitcher’s rubber, the pitcher is committed to throw or feint a motion toward second base or pitch to home plate
9-1-c At anytime during the pitcher’s preliminary movements and until the natural pitching motion begins, the pitcher may throw to any base provided a step that gains ground and is directed toward such base is taken before making the throw (see 9-1-a-[6])
9-3-c While in a pitching position, throw to any base in an attempt to retire a runner without first stepping directly toward such base; or throw or feint a throw toward any base when it is not an attempt to retire a runner or prevent the runner from advancing;
1) The pitcher, while touching the pitcher’s rubber, must step toward the base, preceding or simultaneous with any move toward that base The pitcher is committed, upon raising the lead leg, to throw to the base being faced, to second base or to the plate When throwing or feinting a throw to a base not being faced, the pitcher must step immediately, directly and gain ground toward that base
Note If the pitcher throws to the first baseman who is playing off the base, a balk shall not be called if the fielder moves toward first base in an attempt to retire the runner. 2) The “spin” or “open” move to second base is legal if the pitcher raises the lead leg and immediately, with a continuous motion, steps directly toward second base. The pitcher need not throw.
It's pretty hard to step "directly toward second base" without clearing the rubber and stepping directly toward second base. The last time I checked, 2nd base was behind the rubber and home plate is in front of the rubber so if he doesn't clear the rubber, he's made a motion to home plate without delivering a pitch, and that is a balk.

Thanks for the clarification. Just remember my name with anything I mention. With a little googling below.
Almost a big upset with that little ""Non-Major Conference School""" in Death Valley yesterday.
And, oh my, an upset by another ""Non-Major Conference School""down at Boshamer Stadium (i.e. The field that, Dean Smith and Michael Jordan built.)
And another coach from the NC Factory, that Frank McGuire with Alex English/Bobby Cremins, helped build a lot of stuff (Sarge Frye Field) down your way also.
Of course that large lady, whoever she is, has not started singing yet.
Now, go put your CPL hat on and get over to Florence or Lexington County tonight and supervise, and write up your reports on who/whom (in your humble analysis) should get that first call (contract) into MiLB when an opening occurs.
Pay close attention and don't take any foul balls to the head while supervising without your mask on.
We don't want the marbles in that very well trained and highly, highly knowledgeable and efficient legal mind of yours all scrambled up.
Have a great summer.

This has crossed my mind too - that Under Armour does sell re-branded All-Star Equipment. What a jackpot that would be if Under Armour expands their new uniform agreement into equipment, now that they have a foot in the door.